Harvey Weather Forecast

Monday, January 31, 2011

End of Summer!

If this doesn't sound like a Mastercard commercial, I don't know what will: "Having endless open ocean to look out upon and warm sunny temperatures - $2150 a plane ticket. Quick high waves wash up and soak your shoes and picnic blanket - replacement value $235. Having sand blow on your sandwich and into your bean dip making a gritty lunch, but having an entire beach to yourself - PRICELESS!

We have now been in Australia for a month and loving the extra 'summer' holidays. The last few weeks before school starts up again, our family explored a little bit more of the Southwest using Harvey as our home base. We camped two nights in Wellington National Park, about 45 minutes away. We remembered that tent walls were very thin as the noisy Kookaburras, crows, ducks, and magpies woke us up when the sun came up around 5 o'clock in the morning. During the day we went bushwalking on some great trails, but the highlight was swimming in Honeymoon Pool's cool and refreshing river waters.

Another trip was to Fremantle for Becky's Birthday. We swam at a beach, went to the docks, fishing harbour and toured Fremantle Prison. No trip to Australia is complete without a convict history lesson and gaol tour. This was Western Australia's first convict prison. In 1857 the first prisoners (men, women and children) arrived from England and Ireland and only recently closed in 1991. Below is a replica of the first cells, our little jailbird Jackson, and above right is 'the yard'.